These two groups of islands are near the Bahamas in the Caribbean. The
principal islands in the Turks group are Grand Turk and Salt Cay; the
principal islands in the Caicos group are South Caicos, East Caicos,
Middle (or Grand) Caicos, North Caicos, Providenciales, and West Caicos.
The islands were not settled by Europeans until 1678, when British
colonists from Bermuda established a salt-panning industry. The islands
were at first placed under the Bahamian government, but in 1874 they
became dependencies of the colony of Jamaica. Following Jamaica's
independence, they became a British Crown colony. The salt production
industry, the islands' economic mainstay, ceased in 1964 and gave way to
tourism, offshore financial services, and fishing.